Resources and information to help schools build intercultural capability and strengthen inclusion.
Victoria is known for its multiculturalism. Victorian citizens come from more than 200 countries, speak 260 languages and follow 135 different faiths. Cultural diversity is one of Victoria’s greatest assets.
Schools play a critical role in strengthening multicultural inclusion in our community by providing an environment where acceptance of diversity, knowledge of other cultures and an understanding of global and local issues can be developed.
Intercultural capability curriculum
The
Intercultural capability curriculum enables students to explore their own and others’ cultural practices and cultural diversity in Australian society.
The curriculum promotes mutual respect and social cohesion and helps students to develop vital skills for living and working in a multicultural world.
Curriculum resources
Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC)
Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) is a specialised library for teachers in the areas of:
- EAL
- Languages
- Cross curriculum priority areas
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
- Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
- Intercultural capability.
The library also has a wide range of culturally and linguistically diverse resources. LMERC staff can be contacted for advice about resources at LMERC and online.
FUSE- Global learning and engagement intercultural capability units
Global learning programs
Global learning programs: online teaching resources available to support teachers in delivering the intercultural capability curriculum.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) resources
A range of intercultural capability - teaching resourcesincluding:
- Navigating intercultural issues in the classroom - teacher guide
- Primary poster - How do we talk about culture in the classroom?
- Secondary poster - How do we talk about culture in the classroom?
External resources and programs
SBS Cultural Atlas
SBS - Cultural Atlas is an educational resource providing comprehensive information on the cultural background of Australia’s migrant populations.
Global Words
The fifteen units of work in Global Words have been produced by World Vision Australia and the Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA) to integrate the teaching and learning of English and Geography with global citizenship education.
Cool Australia
Cool Australia offers a range of curriculum aligned resources with the aim of building students’ capacity to be socially responsible global citizens.
Global Education Project
Global Education Project is a searchable database of resources about a range of global issues supported by case studies, country profiles and teaching activities.
Immigration Museum
The Immigration Museum offers a range of incursion and excursion activities for students, with teaching resources exploring the themes of immigration, cultural diversity and Australian identity.
Addressing racism
Racism is not tolerated in Victorian schools, however, it continues to be a serious and persistent issue across society.
Experiences of racism can have significant detrimental impacts on mental health and contribute to marginalisation and isolation.
While incidents of racism may not always be occurring within school environments, these incidents can have significant impacts on student engagement and wellbeing.
Schools play a key role in preventing, identifying and responding to incidents of racism. By taking a proactive approach, schools can ensure that all students are respected, valued and treated equally.
There is a range of resources and programs available to support schools address racism and strengthen multicultural inclusion, these include:
Schools standing up to racism
Courage to care
Courage to care provides student workshops that use the Holocaust as a medium to explore racism, prejudice, discrimination and bullying.
Courage to Care offers participants practical tools to stand up against bullying and prejudice to empower participants to take positive action.
Bully Stoppers: Racist bullying resources
Report racism line
The Report racism line: is available for students and families if they are not comfortable reporting an incident of racism to their school or are not happy with the school’s response.
J-Voice - Jewish student advisory group
Student voice, agency and leadership
J-Voice is a Jewish student advisory group, established by the United Jewish Education Board, to bring together Jewish students from primary and secondary Victorian government schools to share and discuss their experiences. Through a series of student-led and collaborative discussions the group will explore their experiences and ideas about safe, constructive and practical strategies schools are using or can use to address racial discrimination and antisemitism affecting Victorian students.
The students, through sharing their experiences and ideas, aim to benefit all students and schools by highlighting good practice already occurring and identify new ways to promote and enhance inclusive school communities.
External resources
Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission
VicHealth - LEAD: School-based audit tool
Racism, No Way!
Racism. It Stops With Me
Racism. It Stops With Me - resources for schools, tips for bystanders, case studies and promotion materials featuring a diverse range of sporting celebrities.
SBS: Face up to racism
SBS: Face up to racism videos and classroom resource developed to support lessons challenging preconceptions around race and prejudice.
Australian Human Rights Commission resources
The Australian Human Rights Commission have created a range of resources, including:
Human rights education
Human rights recognise the inherent value of each person. They are based on principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect. The Australian Human Rights Commission have created the following resources:
An introduction to human rights and responsibilities
The story of our rights and freedoms
The story of our rights and freedoms: designed to assist students in building a critical understanding of human rights and responsibilities, and to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills to apply human rights in everyday life.
Magna Carta: The story of our freedom
Understanding human rights
Understanding human rights- designed to help students in years 9 and 10 understand basic human rights concepts, the origins of modern human rights, and how human rights apply to everyday life.
Multicultural Inclusion
Victoria is known for its vibrant multicultural identity. Victorian citizens come from more than 200 countries, speak 260 languages, and follow 135 different faiths. Cultural diversity is one of Victoria’s greatest assets.
Fostering multicultural inclusion is essential to ensuring a vibrant and prosperous school community in which everyone is welcomed, feels safe and is supported to participate. Schools play a critical role in strengthening multicultural inclusion in our community by providing an environment where acceptance of diversity, knowledge of other cultures and an understanding of global and local issues can be developed.
All school staff and students are strongly encouraged to be involved in shaping multicultural inclusion in their school community.
Student Leaders for Multicultural Inclusion
The Student Leaders for Multicultural Inclusion: Strengthening multicultural inclusion through student voice, agency and leadership resource aims to support schools to strengthen intercultural capability, foster a positive climate for learning, and empower students to promote multicultural inclusion. It combines practical ideas directly from students, along with examples of best practice from Victorian schools, and input from the Department, Catholic Education Commission of Victoria and Independent Schools Victoria.
Student Leaders for Multicultural Inclusion (pdf - 23 mb)
Student Leaders for Multicultural Inclusion (docx - 39 mb)
Annual events - celebrating cultural diversity
There are key dates and events throughout the year that provide schools with opportunities to celebrate cultural diversity and strengthen multicultural inclusion.
Schools are encouraged to involve their staff, students and communities in activities to raise awareness of these events through the school curriculum, extra-curricular activities and local events. Schools may wish to consider:
- sharing books and stories
- organising a film screening
- holding school assemblies and concerts celebrating the cultural diversity of the local community
- organising school poetry or essay competition
- exhibitions of student artwork.
Key dates
Cultural Diversity Week - March
Cultural Diversity Week: held in March each year, brings Victorians together to recognise the benefits of diversity and to showcase the many cultures that have shaped our Victorian identity.
Harmony Day - 21 March
Harmony Day is held on 21 March each year and celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. Coincides with Cultural Diversity Week.
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - 21 March
Refugee Week - June
Refugee Week is held in June each year. The week raises awareness about the issues affecting refugee communities and celebrates the positive contributions made by people from refugee backgrounds to Australian society.
World Refugee Day - 20 June
Human Rights Day - 10 December
Human Rights Day is held on 10 December each year and commemorates the day in 1948 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Professional learning for teachers
Find information about professional learning for teachers in the
EAL and multicultural education professional learning calendar
More information
For more information contact
multicultural.education@education.vic.gov.au or read
inclusive workplaces for the Department's policy and commitment to diversity and inclusion.